switching to chemical engineering vs going to ChE master's program w/ bs in chem?

<p>I don't know if there have been many similar threads like this, and in that case, I apologize for starting a redundant thread.</p>

<p>Anyway, I'm junior chem major at a school that has no engineering school. My overall gpa isn't terribly impressive being around 3.0 while my major GPA is about B+. More important, I don't think I will enjoy my future career with a degree with chemistry. I want to transfer to a school and major in chemical engineering, but I also heard you can go to grad school to get master's in ChE with chem. Either way it will probably take 1-2 extra year for me. Which is a better choice? Honestly it's hard to picture myself being a grad student for a few reasons.</p>

<p>BQ: Will colleges accepts students who try to transfer after junior year? Does it depend on each school's policy? Sorry I don't know much about college transfer.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>I can’t really make the call on what is the better choice–it’s your decision.</p>

<p>From a straight job perspective standpoint, typically a ChemE will have much better prospects than a chemistry major in standard (typical jobs for ChemE/Chemists such as engineering or labs) and non-standard (lets say consulting or banking). </p>

<p>In addition, typically if you want to pursue a job within chemistry, a graduate degree might be necessary. </p>

<p>You are right about the ChemE Masters as a Chemistry BS–you will have to take a semester or two of core engineering classes to catch up and that will tack on a year or so to your Masters. </p>

<p>Finally, I think typically you can only transfer after your freshman or sophomore year. Why not consider transferring within your school to an engineering BS?</p>

<p>Because my school doesn’t have one. I also heard people saying you can transfer after junior year but if you’re right then I think I’ll just try going for master’s.</p>

<p>bummpppppp</p>

<p>umm… bump again</p>

<p>From my perspective you have two options</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Transfer to another school with an engineering program. Granted it might be harder since you are late in your school work (Junior) and your GPA isn’t that strong but it’s still do able. Another option but will be longer is graduating and then going after another UG degree–I would avoid this since it’ll be costly and time consuming.</p></li>
<li><p>Go for a ChemE Masters–once again you’ll have to find specific programs that will let you apply a Chemistry major and it’ll be hard since your GPA isn’t that strong. However if you take a course option you can probably spent only 1.5-2.5 years and able to get a ChemE masters.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>well thanks for replying to my thread… again! lol</p>

<p>I think ChemE and chemistry are very different in many ways. Junior and Senior classes for ChemE are usually processes, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, mass transfer, biosystems, etc. which are (I think) almost unknown to chemists. However, I realized that I, as a ChemE can actually double major in chemistry in just a few more classes (around 5 classes) in addition to the chemistry classes required for chemE. So I recommend you to transfer to chemE (One of my professors is a B.S. ChemE and Masters in chemistry and he told me that if he did the other way around it would too hard to do it)</p>

<p>What school do you attend? Is there any engineering?</p>

<p>nope, and that’s why I’m planning to transfer because it’s just hard to picture myself doing anything with a degree in pure chemistry. By the end of the junior year I’ll be completing intro physics I-II, diff eq., p-chem I-II, and some other classes. I enrolled in DEq just because I’m math minor and I’m greatly enjoying it. My only concern is that I’m not sure if the schools will accept me after my junior year.</p>

<p>You should look around and see whether schools have senior year transfers, though honestly I think your chances are slim. Perhaps you can apply a junior year transfer–since you will be behind a year or so even if you got into an engineering program.</p>

<p>Also, start taking as many engineering pre-req classes as you can: Physics 1/2, ODE and Linear Algebra, a Computing/Numerical Method class and/or Probability/Statistics class. This way if you transfer/go to chemE graduate school you have the pre-reqs to take the courses.</p>

<p>I see. Also, what is FE/PE exam? Are Chem. Engineers required to take those?</p>

<p>The FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) is a licensing exam required to become a Engineer in Training (E.I.T). It is administied by your state’s Board of Engineers and is the precursor to the PE (Professional Engineer) exam. You’ll typically take the exam the semester before you graduate.</p>

<p>After working as a EIT for 4 or so years (depends on whether you go to graduate school) you can apply to take the much harder PE exam and become a Professional Engineer.</p>

<p>While the E.I.T and eventually PE look good on your resume they only are pertinent for engineers who do work with a government or other agency. PE’s can “stamp their name” on blue prints/other work and thus can be responsible in overseeing schematics or other technical aspects of a project. Naturally most civil engineers/structural engineers will have a PE license but it isn’t needed in other industries. </p>

<p>ChemEs typically don’t need a EIT or PE but honestly the FE exam is pretty damn easy that it doesn’t hurt to take it anyway.</p>

<p>bump more opinions would be great</p>